Fifth Annual Festival Of The Kirby Lodge Of Instruction, No. 263.

was speaking ol English Freemasonry—than it did at the present moment . That was due in no small measure to the fact of having at its head H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M . In giving " The Grand Officers , " the PRESIDENT said there was probably no ore in the Craft who had better opportunities of judging the merits ot the Grand Officers than he had . For many years he had been associated with them , and

appreciated their many good qualities and their valuable assistance to the Order . He would not venture to speak of the merits of the Pro G . M . and Dep . G . M ., who not only devoted their time to their offices , but also as Prov . Grand Masters of important provinces . Amongst the Grand Officers present were Bro . Sudlow whose name he was sure would be favourably received—and Bro . Sadler , who had from the earliest days associated himself with that lodge .

Bro . R . C . SUDLOW , P . G . S . B ., returned thanks , and said he happened to know that some members of other lodges of instruction gauged the merits of the Grand Officers by their knowledge of the ritual , and expected them to work all the Sections as well as all the ceremonies . In that lodge of instruction they were very keen to observe that that was not altogether a fair test , and that before they received the much coveted purple they strove to do their best to uphold and advance the best interests of Masonry . With regard to the Grand Officers

present , other than himself , they had rendered splendid service to the Craft . With reference to himself , all he could say was that he was very desirous of performing those duties to the Craft that might be required of him . He thanked them very heartily for the cordial manner in which the toast had been received . The PRESIDENT then said : It is now my privilege , as your Chairman , to submit the toast of the evening—'" Success to the Kirby Lodge of Instruction . " This lodge , I understand , was founded in 1889 , with the sanction of the Bank of

Eng land Lodge , many members of which we have the pleasure of seeing here this evening , and which lodge , I understand , has always taken a very lively interest in the welfare of this lodge of instruction . It was founded to meet the requirements of brethren whose avocations precluded them from attending the Emulation Lodge of Improvement at the hour at which it meets , and 1 believe it owed its orig in to the exertions of two brethren—Bros . Sudlow and Sadler—with both of whom I have the pleasure of being associated , one in the Emulation Lodge of

Improvement and one as a colleague and officer of Grand Lodge . This lodge was known for some time as the Clarence Lodge of Instruction , and it had as its Preceptor a brother whose name I am sure will always be cherished in this lodge—Bro . Wm . Henry Kirby—who for some time filled in the most admirable manner the office of Preceptor . Vou all know that Bro . Kirby was taken from us under tragic and lamentable circumstances , and it was with the view of perpetuating his name in the lodge he loved so well that the members determined to

change its name and adopt a name—which it will ever after be known by—the Kirby Lodge . The working is strictly in accordance with the working of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement to which a large proportion of its members belong , and it has been considered a kind of preparatory school or nursery , as I am told the ceremonies rehearsed in this lodge are performed a few days after in the mother lodge—the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . That this lodge has been a great success is evidenced by the fact that at the present moment there are 33 6

members ,- representing 140 lodges , and an average attendance at each meeting of between 20 and 30 . As most of jou are aware , any surplus funds are devoted to Charity . But a lodge cannot be carried on in this way unless it has those at its head who thoroughly understand their work , and I feel sure you will all agree that to our worthy Bro . Lewis , who has acted as Preceptor , is due in a very great measure the success which this lod ^ e has achieved , and I , therefore , propose to associate his name with the toast— " Success to the Kirby Lodge of Improvement . "

Bro . C . LEWIS , ProV . G . D . Surrey , Preceptor , returned thanks for the kind language of the Grand Secretary . He could endorse most thoroughly the sentiment expressed in the toast , and was sure he could speak for his colleague , Bro West , Asst . Preceptor , and the members of the Committee . They had a good many principles guiding them which should make the lodge a success . They were in earnest and met for business and if those who came had any other object they soon learnt their mistake . One of their by-laws was to the effect that they should work strictly in accordance with the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , and they

kept in touch with the perfect ritual there displayed under Bro . Sudlow . They had with them constantly the memory of what the late Bro . Kirby was in the lodge , and there was something unique in his personality to have created such an impression upon the minds of so many . That impression was never lost and they trusted never would be lest sipht of . By permission of the President he had the honour of submitting a toast which was not on the list but which they hoped would be taken as a precedent . It was to ask them to drink a solemn toast in silence to the memory of Bro . Kirby .

Bro . H . S . WELLCOME , P . M ., gave the toast of "The Chairman , " and said they were all gratified at the great honour conferred upon them by the Grand Secretary and had been delighted by the graceful manner and Masonic feeling with which he had presided . Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec , tendered his warmest thanks to Bro . Wellcome and the brethren . V / hen he was invited to preside he felt some diffidence in

accepting the honour , because he felt there were many who would fill the position far better than he could hope to do , but no one could have filled the chair who would have sympathised more warmly than he did with the objects which the founders of that lodge of improvement had in view , or congratulated it more warmly on its success . He could only express a hope that the lodge would , for many years to come , perform the good work it was discharging at the present time .

Bro . H . SADLER , G . Tyler , proposed "The Bank of England Lodge , " to which the lodge of improvement owed a deep obligation . Bro . H . PRITCHARD , P . P . G . Treas . Middx ., in response , said the lodge was proud of its offspring , and hoped the lodge of improvement would never be ashamed of the Bank of England Lodge . Bro . R . CLAV SUDLOW , P . G . S . B ., then gave " The Working Officers , " and said that some amongst them had heard the work for the first time , others had , perhaps , heard it a hundred times ; but , in either case , he felt certain a thrill of

pleasure and of pride had been experienced by all whilst listening to those Sections that they belonged to an Institution which impressed such sublime principles . Those who acted as teachers in Masonry watched with an immense amount of interest the progress made by those students in Masonry in their lodges of improvement , because it was from the ranks of those brethren that their places must be filled when they passed away . Bros . WEST , Asst . Preceptor , and BAKER , Sec , replied , and the proceedings terminated . Bros . Bennett and Acres contributed excellent songs , Bro . Barnard gave a humorous recitation , and Bro . Harvey a pianoforte solo .

Annual Supper Of The Prosperity Lodge Of Instruction, No. 65.

ANNUAL SUPPER OF THE PROSPERITY LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 65 .

That the Prosperity Lodge of .. Instruction is well named was evidenced on Wednesday , the nth instant , when the annual supper was held at the Weaver ' s Arms , London Wall . Bro . Greig , the W . M . of the mother lodge , who presided ,

Annual Supper Of The Prosperity Lodge Of Instruction, No. 65.

must have been most gratified to find himself so well supported by such a number of brethren as to severely tax , without inconvenience to anyone , the accommodation of the spacious lodge room . The following is a list of those present : Bros . D . Harlow , P . M . 65 , Preceptor ; Talbot , P . M . 6 $ ; Kinipple , S . W . 65 ; R . Sarson , W . M . 192 j William Baker ,

S . D " . 192 ; J . Smith , Hill , Strong , Wise , Cuzner , Robeson , Farr , Collins , Lloyd , C . Garton , Joy , Drake . Bullworthy , Callingham , H . T . Meadows , W . M . 1571 Sec . ; Saunion , Portwine , Hughes , Tidder , Noakes , Downes , Spencer , R . D . Smith , P . M . ; Robson , Watkinson , Woodman , Hayes , Levy , Bishop , Biss , Evans , Fisher , Peach , and others .

The supper was served under the supervision of the host , Bro . Callingham , who evidently knew what good things he hid provided by himself participating in their speedy disappearance . The toasts of "The Queen and the Craft" and "The M . W . G . Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " being proposed by the W . M ., met with the usual enthusiastic reception .

Bro . THOMAS , I . P . M . 65 , then said : I rise with very great pleasure to propose the toast of "The W . M ., " relying on it to meet the hearty recognition so well merited . Most of us know the masterly manner in which he performs his work , and that he is a W . M . to be proud of , in addition to which he is Assistant Preceptor of this lodge of instruction .

The W . M ., in reply , said : I very sincerely thank you for the kind manner in which you drank my health . I owe my position to-night to an accident in being W . M . of the mother lodge , but as we owe the benefit and instruction we receive here to Bro . Harlow , I should have liked to have seen him selected for the chair this evening . I have endeavoured to give all every satisfaction and pleasure , and if I have succeeded I am amply rewarded .

The next toast was proposed by the W . M . as follows : I have now to give you the toast of " The Prosperity Lodge of Instruction , " coupled with the names ot Bros . Harlow , Preceptor ; Thomas , Treasurer ; Meadows , Secretary ; and Smith , Assistant Secretary . If any officers can assure success these are the four to do it . Bro . Harlow is most assiduous ; never missing a meeting . No trouble is too great for him , and , above all , the instruction is given in such a happy

manner , that its reception is doubly welcome ; whilst Bros . Thomas and Meadows can never do , too much . The accounts and books are most accurate . As Bro . Meadow ' s mother lodge meets on the same evening , he is occasionally away , when our Assistant Secretary , Bro . Smith ably fills his place . Bro . HARLOW , in reply , said : The W . M . has set the example of short speeches , which best suits me , being more at home in the lodge giving instruction .

The W . M . has said that I should have been in the chair to-night . I don ' t think so , as , in addition to being the W . M . of the mother lodge , Bro . Greig ' s own qualifications render him most suitable for the position he is holding this evening . I feel proud that Bro . Greig is a protege of mine , who has fully realised my great expectations of him . I saw in a paper only the other day that it was a fine thing to be a Preceptor , as the emoluments were considerable . I never knew

this was so , nor wished it ; it is purely a labour of love which brings its own reward , and I am only too pleased to give assistance to those who attend . Bros . THOMAS , MEADOWS , and SMITH also responded . The other toasts were "The Visitors " and " The Host , Bro . Callingham . " Bros . James Smith , Kinipple , Fisher , Shipman , and Callingham with songs , Bro . Talbot with a recitation , and Bro . Noakes at the piano , added much to the enjoyments of the evening .

Conversazione Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076.

CONVERSAZIONE OF THE QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE , No . 2076 .

The second conversazione of this well-known literary lodge was held at the King's Hall , Holborn Restaurant , on Thursday , the 5 th inst . The guests began to arrive about 8 p . m ., and were duly presented to Bro . Edward Macbean , who was accompanied by Mrs . Macbean , and supported by the Wardens of the lodge

Bros . C . Kupferschmidt , Asst . G . Sec . for German Correspondence , and C . Purdon Clarke , as well as by Admiral A . H . Markham , Dist . G . M . Malta , Colonel Sir Norman Pringle , Bart ., P . M . 92 , and other influential brethren of the lodge and Correspondence Circle . At 9 p . m . the following address of welcome to the visitors was delivered by the W . M .:

Ladies and Gentlemen , —It falls to my lotas W . M . of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge to say a few words , and I speak , of course , also on behalf of my colleagues in office and fellow members . We desire to tender you , one and all , a most hearty and most cordial welcome . We rejoice to see so large , influential , and representative a gathering , embracing as it does friends , not only from the vicinity of London , but from Devonshire , Lancashire , England , Scotland , Ireland , Holland ,

and even more distant parts of the U . S . A ., some at least of whom have come specially to grace our festival . We are very pleased to see that so many of our brethren of the Mystic Tie have favoured us with their countenance .- We note with satisfaction that many gentlemen who , judging by the plainness of their attire , seem to be non-Masons—plain , that is , in comparison with the gaudy magnificence displayed by some of our brethren . But above all , beyond all , we

congratulate ourselves on the noble array of fair ones who honour us with their company , and brighten this function as they do our firesides and daily lives . The Quatuor Coronati is a literary lodge , founded by literary men and brethren for Masonic literary purposes . Sir Charles Warren , Sir W . Besant , Bros . W . H . Rylands , Gould , Hughan , Speth , and others , nine in all , considering the need of a centre whence Masonic knowledge might radiate , determined to start a lodge on

quite novel lines , and this sprang into existence more than 11 years ago . It was early found that to achieve the results arrived at , they would have to appeal to a much larger audience than could meet in an ordinary lodge room . By a happy inspiration of our resourceful Secretary , the Correspondence Circle originated , variously known as Outer Circle , a supplement to the true lodge or Inner Circle which even now only consists of 31 members . I am glad to see that Bro . Stephen

Richardson is here this evening , whose name is down on this list which now reaches some 2400 or 2500 members scattered over the globe , making us the most cosmopolitan lodge in the world . These subscribers' annual payments enable us to print our lectures and essays , and reviews , the results of our investigations into the antiquity , & c , of Freemasonry . The Annual Transactions ( Ars Quatuor

Coronatorum ) make each a considerable quarto volume , and give the reader an up-todate acquaintance with our Craft that could not otherwise be obtained . We also publish reprints of various works on Masonry , such as the " Regius MS ., " & c , some 17 volumes in all . This is some of the work we have to show for our short term of active existence . Our entertainment this evening may be roughly divided under three heads . First , the Masonic aprons , jewels , and other curios in the